First full slate of Saturday games in college football is upon us and it’s time to get the ball rolling on The Duke’s picks. All picks are by the spread with my predictions in bold…

USC -19.5 Virginia – That’s right, I figured I’d start things off with a bang. Will Virginia win, most likely not. Can they cover, absolutely. Player to watch: Left tackle Eugene Monroe is next in a long line of successful Cavaliers’ offensive linemen. Coach Al Groh says “He finished at a high level last year and it looks like he’s already beyond that level. He had an awesome summer and it’s looking right now like he can have a season comparable to any of those who preceded him.” Those that preceded him include D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Branden Albert, pretty lofty company.